Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram revealed how his conversation with Virat Kohli caught the Indian batsman off guard. Among active cricketers, Kohli’s popularity is unmatched. His tremendous batting skills and exemplary personality have earned him a huge following across the world. Kohli is always the center of attention ahead of a big match, especially a blockbuster encounter like India vs Pakistan. The same was the case on Sunday when Kohli was part of a detailed discussion on Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the Asia Cup.
Before the match, legendary pacer Akram revealed the reason why Kohli was given so much space on the television screen.
Revealing his conversation with Kohli, Akram said that the star batsman comes in his dreams. He also revealed Kohli’s reaction after hearing the same.
“Today I walked past him and told Virat Kohli that you are coming into my dreams now. He replied and said, ‘What do you mean by Wasim bhai? I told him because I see so many of you all on the television screen. I can just ‘I won’t get him out of my mind,'” Akram said on Star Sports ahead of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup Super 4 match.
Akram explained that great players like Kohli and Pakistan captain Babar Azam are made for the big occasions.
“Virat, Babar, Shaheen and all these match winners, they play this game for these moments: India versus Pakistan. I mean, for Pakistan everyone wants to perform and vice versa. This is make or break. Not for guys like Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, but for young boys. These games are fun. Yesterday the whole of Colombo was buzzing,” he added.
Match between India and Pakistan halted due to rain
For the second time this Asia Cup, rain played spoilsport in a match between traditional rivals India and Pakistan as the blockbuster Super Four match at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium was abandoned after heavy downpours forced ground staff to don the blankets.
India, who got a flying start from the opening pair of skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, were quite sitting on 147 for the loss of 2 wickets when heaven intervened.
However, before the teams were forced back to the dressing rooms, Rohit and Shubman put on a show, hitting the Pakistani bowlers in all corners in a scintillating 121-run partnership.
Shaheen Shaf Afridi and Shadab Khan claimed a wicket each to bring the Pakistanis back into the match after the India openers sent them hunting in the first overs.
Rohit (56) was given a soft dismissal off Shadab, while Gill (58) perished in the next over as he failed to read a slower one from Shaheen and bowled a catch to Agha Salman at extra cover.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then came together and seemed to have stabilized the innings when rain interrupted play. Kohli (8)* and KL Rahul (17)* were unbeaten at the crease when the umpires halted proceedings.
(With ANI inputs)
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